


not a quitter

by kinneyb



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-15 11:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18072668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinneyb/pseuds/kinneyb
Summary: When Quentin transfers to Eliot's school, he wants him. Bad. Only problem is Quentin won't even look Eliot in the eye, but that's okay: Eliot's never been known as a quitter.





	not a quitter

**Author's Note:**

> the queliot high school au we all deserve also margo ships queliot so hard my dudes
> 
> ★ please follow me on twitter @ queermight & check out my pinned tweet! ★

Margo sees the new boy before Eliot does. He's fairly short with choppy long hair and he's so obviously shy - he keeps his head down as he enters the classroom, hugging his backpack like it's a shield. She lifts an eyebrow and stretches her leg far enough to give Eliot a little kick under his desk.

He quickly looks up, no longer interested in drawing random designs on his arm.

She points at the front of the classroom just as the teacher - Mr. Fogg - starts to introduce the new student. Eliot looks toward the front of the classroom, and Margo is no stranger to the look in his eyes.

He's interested. Shamelessly interested.

"Um," the boy hugs his backpack closer. He still won't make eye contact with anyone. "My name is Quentin Coldwater," he mumbles. "I just moved here."

Mr. Fogg waits, but it quickly becomes obvious Quentin isn't interested in sharing anything else. Smiling politely, he gestures toward the empty seat in front of Eliot. "Please, Mr. Coldwater."

Quentin nods, and quickly rushes to the desk. He puts his backpack down and lets out a deep breath. Mr. Fogg starts talking about something Eliot has absolutely no interest in, so he leans forward and says,

"Hi."

Margo lets out a little amused noise.

Slowly, Quentin turns his head. Just enough to get a glimpse of Eliot. Then, he flushes and turns away.

"Rude," Eliot mutters. Margo laughs loudly this time, earning a scornful look from Mr. Fogg.

/

Eliot stares across the cafeteria at the new kid. He's been recruited, or welcomed, into Alice's group. Margo nudges him with her elbow. "Jealous much?"

He scoffs, looking away promptly.

"He's not even that cute," Margo continues, eyes sparkling with amusement.

Eliot glares at her, but there's no real heat. "He's fucking adorable," he replies. "Like a hound dog or something."

"That's," Margo squints, "a weird compliment, but duly noted."

He sighs dramatically, dropping his head to the table. "I've never been turned down like that."

"I'm not sure that counts as being 'turned down'," Margo says. "I think he's just shy."

Eliot lifts his head just in time to see Quentin throw his own head back, laughing at something Alice said. He looks at Margo, lifting both eyebrows. "Does that look like a shy guy to you?"

"Oh, come on," Margo laughs, gently smacking his arm. "Just go get head from one of the football players and get over it."

Eliot slowly smiles. He shrugs. "Yeah, you're right." Then, he gets up. "I'll see you after lunch?"

Margo gives a little wave, and winks.

/

Eliot has almost forgotten all about Quentin, and his ego being rightfully bruised, when Mr. Fogg pairs them up for a project. He looks at Margo for help, but she's sitting with Fen and smiling brightly at the girl.

Yeah, he's the only one with a stupid crush his ass.

Sighing, he pushes his desk up against Quentin's and sits down. Quentin won't even look at him. "I'm sorry if I did something to, like, piss you off?" Eliot says. He's not sure how saying hi could really piss a guy off, but who knows.

Quentin peeks up at him through his bangs. He nods. "It's fine," he mutters.

"Okay, great," Eliot replies, clapping his hands together. "So let's get this over with."

The problem continues, though: Quentin still only interacts with him when he absolutely has to, and he avoids eye contact the whole time, and Eliot is seconds from bursting when Margo grabs him for lunch. Eliot says bye, but Quentin barely even looks at him.

"He hates me," Eliot says as they go to their usual table.

Margo rolls her eyes. They both sit, and she immediately starts peeling her orange. "You are being so dramatic," she says, but she's smiling fondly. "Maybe he's just straight."

Eliot scoffs. "That's what they all say." He looks across the cafeteria and is surprised to see Quentin staring back at him. Only for a total of two seconds, though, cause as soon as they make eye contact he looks away like he's been burned. "He must think I'm hideous."

"Oh my God," Margo laughs.

/

"A party?" Eliot looks up from his phone. "Do tell."

Margo grins happily, sitting in his lap. "It's at that stupid jock's house. The one that was all over me last month." She makes a face. "So I was going to suggest we do something else, but then I thought... you know what Eliot needs right about now?"

He lifts an eyebrow. He has a pretty good idea what she's going to say, but he asks anyway. "What?"

"A cute boy underneath him, of course," she replies easily.

Eliot rolls his eyes, but honestly she knows him too well. "Yeah," he admits. "That would take my mind off things."

"So it's official," Margo jumps up. "We're going - get ready."

/

The party is okay. Margo finds Fen after a few minutes, and gives Eliot a look, all pout-y and big eyes. He laughs, waving her off. "Go," he says. "Have fun."

Grinning, she skips off with Fen. Eliot sighs. He maneuvers through the crowd to the kitchen, wanting a second - okay, third - drink. He's much too sober for this.

He pauses when he sees Quentin all alone at the refreshments. He debates going away, but fuck it.

"Hey," he greets.

Quentin nods. "Hi."

Eliot shrugs and pours himself a drink. Then, he leans against the counter beside Quentin and quietly sips it. Quentin does the same. "So," he says after a few minutes. "You go to parties a lot?"

"Oh," Quentin laughs softly. He stares at the mass of bodies dancing together in the living room. He swallows audibly. "No, not at all."

Eliot nods, placing his drink on the counter. "You like to dance?"

"Um - "

Before he can answer, Eliot grabs his drink and sets it on the counter, too. Then, he grabs his hands. "Yes or no?" he asks.

Quentin blinks. "I - "

"Yes or no?" Eliot asks again, suppressing a grin.

Quentin slowly nods. "I'm - I'm like, so bad, though."

Eliot grins and pulls him out of the kitchen toward the living room. "It's okay," he yells over the music. "We all are."

They dance and it's fun - some of the most fun Eliot has had in a long time, excluding his adventures with Margo. But then the song is over, and Quentin pulls away. Not roughly, but it still stings a little. He smiles politely, but he won't meet Eliot's eyes. "I've got to - " he gestures aimlessly.

Eliot nods. "Okay," he whispers.

Then, he's gone and Eliot decides he needs another drink.

/

"He definitely thinks I'm hideous," Eliot whines.

Fen blinks a few times. Then, she turns to Margo. "What is he talking about?"

After that night at the party, Fen has been having lunch with them occasionally. Eliot doesn't mind, really - she's nice, and speaks her mind.

"He's pining after the new kid," Margo replies. Eliot glares at her, but she just grins.

Fen nods. She glances back at Quentin, who's currently engaged in a passionate conversation with Alice. "Do you think they're, like, dating?"

"You think?" Eliot asks, squinting his eyes. He has a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Margo thumps Eliot on the back. Firm, but gentle. "Have you ever been the type to give up so easily?" she asks. "No," she answers for him. "So don't write him off until you, oh, I don't know, actually have a conversation with the kid."

He pouts, all dramatic. Fen smiles encouragingly. "I believe in you," she says.

/

"I know we've never really... talked before," Eliot clears his throat. He's not interested in girls, of course, but so close even he has to admire Alice's beauty. She's pretty and proper, and staring at him expectantly. "But I wanted to ask something kind of, uh, personal?"

Alice nods slowly. She shifts on her feet. "Okay," she says. "But hurry please - class is starting soon."

"Right," Eliot stares at a spot on the floor. "Are you and Quentin, like, together?"

He's surprised when he hears a little snort, and quickly looks up. Alice is staring at him, both eyebrows raised. "Are you insane?" she asks.

Eliot smiles sheepishly. "No?"

"We're not," she answers. "I see him as, like, a brother if anything."

Eliot nods. "Okay," he bites his lip. He takes a step back. "Thanks."

"Besides," Alice says before he can run off, eyes sparkling. "I don't think I'm his type." Then, she turns and disappears down the hall.

/

Eliot is tired of being so focused on Quentin he can't even have fun with other guys. They kiss him, and his mind immediately flashes to Quentin and his stupid big, doe-y eyes and long, soft hair. And yes, he knows it's soft from that one night at the party.

So he decides he has to, at the very least, befriend the idiot.

Margo wishes him luck, and so does Fen. He thanks them both, but assures them he doesn't need luck on his side.

He waits until classes have ended for the day, and finds Quentin before he can run off to his car (bus? he's not sure).

"Can I ask you something?" is his opening line.

Very smooth.

Quentin doesn't look at him, but he nods. He's clutching books to his chest.

"Do you hate me?" Kind of dramatic, but he doesn't care.

Quentin startles, like he's so truly shocked by the accusation. He quickly shakes his head no and takes a step back. "No," he says, "no, no, that's not..." He clears his throat. "That's not it, like, at all."

"Okay," Eliot replies slowly. "So why do you treat me..." he gestures between them, "like this?"

Slowly, Quentin peeks up at him through his eyelashes. He gulps.

"I swear," Eliot puts a hand over his heart, "no judgment here."

Quentin takes a deep breath, and all at once says, "you'relikereallyattractiveandIcan'thandlethat."

Eliot blinks a few times. Once, twice. "I'm sorry," he says. "Can you repeat that?"

"I," Quentin sighs heavily. He bites his lip, and shrugs. "You're stupidly hot," he says lamely.

Eliot purses his lips. He wants to laugh so, so bad, but he doesn't. "You've been avoiding me," he says, grinning a little, "because you think I'm hot?"

"Don't," Quentin flushes a pretty color. "I really do not do well around, like, hot people." He cringes, hugging his books tight. "I get really stupid and clumsy and embarrassing and it's just terrible and at my last school I totally embarrassed myself in front of the whole class once cause this guy named Penny did a project with me and I couldn't even - "

Eliot throws a hand in the air. "It's okay," he says. "I understand."

Quentin nods mutely.

"But you know," Eliot steps forward, "I think you're kinda hot, too."

Quentin looks around. "Is this a prank?"

"I don't know," Eliot teases. He reaches out, resting a hand on Quentin's neck. "Do you think I'd go this far for a joke?" Then, he leans forward and presses a kiss to Quentin's lips. He's not usually one for innocent kisses, but he doesn't want to be too pushy. He pulls back and grins. "Hm?"

Quentin gulps. "Oh my God. You're not joking?"

"Not at all," Eliot only grins wider. "So what do you say - wanna go out this weekend?"

Quentin nods. "Yes," he squeaks.

/

"I can't believe you're dating Fen," Eliot says. He's sitting in Margo's room, watching as she paints her nails a pretty emerald shade. "She's so, like... proper."

Margo looks up, wriggling her eyebrows. "You haven't seen her in the bedroom," she muses.

"Ew," Eliot laughs. "Gross."

Margo smiles like a shark. "Hey, I'm not the one who talked all day yesterday about how cute and, what was it... _tight_ Quentin was, so I think we're both equally guilty."

"Okay," Eliot grins. "Point taken."


End file.
